Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly

13 July 2022

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H.E. Mr. Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana,

H.E. Mr. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal, Co-host of the 蘑菇视频 Ocean Conference (TBC),

H.E.? Collen Vixen Kelapile, President of the Economic and Social Council,

Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,

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Distinguished Ministers,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

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Thank you for opportunity to contribute to the opening of this year’s High-Level Political Forum.

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This year’s Forum comes at a defining moment.

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The volume, magnitude, and scale of complex challenges to sustainable development are arguably both unprecedented and unrelenting.

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From deepening climate change and regional conflicts, to rising inequality and food insecurity, the challenges we face threaten to derail the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda.

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Yet, there is hope; hope that together we can not only pull through but come out stronger, more resilient, and more sustainable.

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Hope that we can indeed right the ship, as they say, and pivot away from the harmful practices that have put us on a self-destructive path.

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My friends,

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The 2030 Agenda is so much more than a set of targets and data points.

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The Agenda and its SDGs represent a vision, a blueprint and a roadmap for the kind of policies all countries must undertake if we are to build a better, more inclusive world.

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We must therefore ask ourselves:

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  • Are current recovery policies conducive to the realization of the SDGs?
  • Will these policies lead to the transformative change and systemic reforms needed for a sustainable future?
  • And can these policies reinforce universal social protection, health care and education?
  • Can they protect eco-systems, clean air, and water?
  • Can they build inclusive financial systems and ensure decent living standards for all people?

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This may seem like a lot to ask – but, dear friends, this should be our baseline for any plans to build back better.

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To break the vicious cycle of crises we must do more than “look” towards a more sustainable future, we must put it into practice.

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I have five key recommendations, or asks, for you during this HLPF:

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First, we must take action to get us there.

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We must invest in innovation, technology and behavioral change that bring about the future we want and need.

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This includes increasing investments into areas supportive of social protection, poverty reduction, the environment and climate action, as well as empowering youth as “agents of a sustainable transformation.”

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Second, we must learn the lessons from COVID-19, particularly where systems and policies proved dysfunctional.

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We must invest in the kinds of actions that can protect the most vulnerable, ensure resilient livelihoods, and leverage the power of science and technology.

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Third, we must push for reform measures in the international financial system, in debt relief and vulnerabilities, and in Overseas Development Assistance and humanitarian relief.

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Fourth, we must commit to addressing the situation of the most vulnerable countries. This includes shaping targeted responses to the issues they face.

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This also includes advancing a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) as a vital tool to help vulnerable countries access financing to respond to these crises.

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I am hopeful that the high-level panel of experts that I had constituted to finalize the MVI will be successfully completing their work before the end of the 76th session and the outcome agreed to by all.

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Fifth, we must renew the commitment to the sustainable development of Africa, including on supporting key actions to reach universal vaccination, achieve food security, and ensure energy access across the continent.

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Next week (Wednesday, 20 July), the President of ECOSOC and I will convene a special dialogue on the sustainable development of Africa. I invite all of you to join us for this important opportunity to reconfirm the development of Africa as a priority for all.

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Ladies and gentlemen,

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The pandemic tested the limits of international solidarity.

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Yet multilateralism prevails and international solidarity persists.

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From the establishment of COVAX and rapid advances in development of vaccines; to the negotiations on a global pandemic treaty and adoption of the recent treaty on fisheries subsidies, we have seen countries and communities come together to find common solutions to common challenges.

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We must build on this in every way we can.

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The SDG Summit that will be held in September 2023 will be a critical milestone to do just that. As we mark the mid-point in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, we can recommit to the principles of the SDGs in our efforts to rebuild sustainably.?

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Dear friends,

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The last three years despite being marked by immense global tragedy and grief, gave us the much-needed pause to reassess the state of our world and our existence, and to see what needs to be fixed, replaced, renewed, reimagined or transformed. ?

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My friends, we have yet to fully seize that historic opportunity for a profound transformation, renewal, and reset.

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Let us change that.

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Let us resolve to act NOW.

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Let us ensure that future generations look back on this pandemic, on this period in history, not only as one of grief and trial, but of renewal and change.

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Let us ensure that the pain we have experienced translates into lessons learned, into actions, and into a more inclusive, sustainable, and hopeful future.

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I thank you.